Sharon launches massive Gaza onslaught

Israel's prime minister Ariel Sharon warned yesterday that the killing of six Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, including four members of Hamas, one of them a senior leader, was the beginning of a massive military operation against the Islamic militant faction in Gaza.

Mr Sharon was speaking after the military wing of Hamas released a statement announcing that it would step up its campaign of suicide bombings in response to the killings. "We emphasise our right to continue the jihad (holy war) and resistance and to intensify the martyrdom operations as a reaction to the policy of the occupation and the (Palestinian) Authority," the statement said.

Citing intelligence warnings of suicide attacks, Mr Sharon said the Israeli army was "preparing massive military activity" in the Gaza Strip.

The latest threatened escalation of the violence came as up to 80 Israeli tanks swept into the West Bank city of Ramallah in a pre-dawn raid yesterday, encircling the already wrecked headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, and barricading him behind a front gate blocked with rubble.

The raid came a few hours after the assassinations in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah when Israeli helicopters fired missiles at two cars, killing six men and injuring five more.

Among the dead, said the Israeli military, was Yasser Rizik, described as a senior Hamas activist, who was behind a January attack that killed four soldiers and, they claim, a string of other attacks.

The killings, and the Israeli army's seizure of Ramallah, came despite orders from Mr Arafat barely a day before, for the arrest of leading Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip, and after he had ordered all militant factions to stop suicide bombing operations against Israeli civilians.

Among those placed under house arrest was Sheik Ahmed Yassin, the elderly spiritual leader of Hamas.

Israel's reoccupation of Ramallah, and its killing of the Hamas activists, came after a weekend of relative quiet following six days in which 33 Israelis died in terrorist attacks.

But the motivation behind Israel's latest military moves baffled observers, who said the latest Israeli attacks, coming so soon after Arafat risked moving against Hamas, seemed an almost wilful provocation to the militant Palestinian factions - in particular Hamas - to ignore Arafat's orders and reply with renewed attacks.

Against widespread popular support for suicide bombings - some two thirds of Palestinians back them - and opposition to arresting members of the militant factions running at over 80% - many felt Mr Arafat was taking a substantial personal risk in ordering the move against Hamas.

The scope of the new Israeli military operation, codenamed Determined Path, was revealed yesterday by the foreign minister Shimon Peres, who said that the operations could last several months.

Mr Arafat said in a statement issued by the Palestinian news agency, Wafa: "The Israeli government, with these continuous attacks, has re vealed to the whole world its real intentions. Nothing can weaken our belief in our legal right to have our own independence and freedom, and all this Israeli aggression will not achieve any political results."

The Israelis faced no real resistance as they moved into Ramallah, and have now taken over six of the eight main Palestinian cities and towns in the West Bank since launching the invasion last week.

Residents of the El Birreh neighbourhood, around Mr Arafat's headquarters, said the tanks had arrived at a little before 4am, the soldiers shouting through loudspeakers to declare a curfew.

At Qalandyia, the main checkpoint into the city, Israeli soldiers said they had orders to prevent all journalists and diplomats entering.

The Palestinian leadership accused Israel of using the invasion as a pretext for getting rid of the Palestinian Authority and putting an Israeli mili tary administration in its place. "This is not a temporary step. It is a comprehensive and long-term Israeli plan that aims to destroy the future of the Palestinian people and the destiny of peace and security in the region," the statement said.

At least 600,000 Palestinians in the West Bank are confined to their homes by the curfews, and military closures, in six out of the West Bank's eight biggest urban concentrations, although restrictions were temporarily lifted in two places, Nablus and Qalqiliya, so residents could shop and go to school.

Among those trapped in Ramallah is Bashar Hijazi, a 37-year old driving instructor, his wife Rana, and their four children. "The soldiers arrived in their tanks before dawn," said Bashar. "They told us to stay in our houses. This is the third time they have come. We were not expecting it, so we only have 2-3 days food stored in the house, and people are saying that this could last for months."

A few doors down we managed to reach the home of Bassam Abu Sharif, an adviser to Mr Arafat. "I spoke to him 15 minutes ago by radio," he said. "Mr Arafat said that we must be patient and steadfast at a time when the Israelis are stepping up their attacks across the West Bank. He said we have no other way. He is cool."

Mr Abu Sharif accused Israel of deliberately undermining Mr Arafat at a key moment in President Bush's deliberations. "Arafat declared his opposition to operations against civilians. He reiterated his position. Mr Arafat and the Palestinian Authority gave orders that violence against civilians must stop because it is the future of the Palestinian national project that is now at stake."